


And I remember a cold summer

by anasnastias



Series: Love is blind [3]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, F/M, Fire, Insecurity, M/M, Misunderstandings, Naruto is lonely, Nightmares, Orphan!Naruto, Pain Train, Pining Uchiha Sasuke, Sasuke is misunderstood, Scars, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Superrich!Sasuke, Warnings at the end of each chapter when needed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-10-08
Packaged: 2019-07-03 03:58:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15810864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anasnastias/pseuds/anasnastias
Summary: Naruto always wondered what kind of person he was that his own Soulmate would say that she hates him.Turns out his Soulmate is not a girl and he does not hate him (not really).Soulmate / Highschool AU





	1. Burn my heart

**Author's Note:**

> Hellow, it's me. After being away for like almost a year I come back with a chapter that is absolutely not what I had promised last december D:  
> Sorry btw
> 
> TITLE AND CHAPTER NAMES ARE INSPIRED BY RUSSIAN SONG "Как ты" (Like you) by Stigmata. The lyrics are very beautiful. If metal is not yo' thing, check out the calm remix: " Stigmata - Как ты (Aspecta acoustic remix) " (in Youtube. It's great. I always listen to this when I write angst, just so you know. If anyone is interested in a translation, just tell me, I shall provide you with one.) 
> 
> The beginning is short. This story will be about 5k to 10k words, just like my other works in this series. GO CHECK THEM OUT NOW (:D)
> 
> Thank you for reading btw. English is not my first language and I always try my best to correct stuff so if anyone finds grammar mistakes and the like, TELL ME <3 
> 
>  
> 
> And now, on the pain train we goooooo tchu tchuuuuuuu
> 
> (small warnings at the end)

Naruto was told from the start that he was a special boy.

His whole family told him that, until they became tired of handling the orphaned boy and just deported him to a children's home, from which the kind Iruka - Sensei adopted him.

Special boy basically just meant that he was a nuisance to his relatives. It meant that he was the only survivor and that his parents died protecting him.

Special boy meant that he would never find someone who he could be really and honestly special to.

Except for Iruka - Sensei, who raised the boy as if he was his own blood. Sensei did not have kids himself and Naruto was never able to see him as a father, but he was a mentor, someone to look up to.

Someone who did not mind him being a _special_ boy.

He never really understood why his own parents had said that he was a special boy, until a girl in kindergarten called his scarred cheeks ugly. The other children joined her and Naruto saw for the first time that no one had scarred cheeks except for him. Embarrassed and feeling left-out, he pulled the girl's hair until she cried. His parents were disappointed in him, but they also told him that having scars was not a bad thing. He was just like all the other children and the scars did not make him different, they were like an accessory his mother had said.

_"Every person is unique, Naruto. Don't ever forget that!"_

His beautiful mother whose anguished screams he sometimes still wakes up from, even though he knows that it is only a bad memory now.

When Iruka first adopted him, Naruto had lost the ability to speak. Because he could not socialize with the other children and Naruto was scared to touch living beings, Iruka frequently visited a petting farm, where the young boy learned that his hands were not destructive when gently touching a bunny. He began to smile and use his voice again, but not having friends had made him insecure and Iruka found the boy to be enjoying the company of animals more than the company of humans.

When his voice started to change and Naruto hit puberty with 14, he was extremely excited to feel a tingle on his arm. He immediately started to imagine what his Soulmate looked like, if she was one of those models he liked to look at, or if she was the cute pink-haired girl he'd seen in his school last week. Whoever she was, she would love him. No matter what he looked like, no matter how bad the fire had burned his arm and back, no matter the natural scarring on his face - surely she would accept all the love he had to give.

The only person having been kind to him after his parents died was Iruka - Sensei.

Other than him, he did not have any friends.

But there was so much love in his heart and he really wanted to share this gentle feeling with someone.

Iruka had already gone off to work, thankfully. Naruto wanted this be a private moment, even though he had wanted to share the news with Iruka later when he came home.

Naruto bit his lip and stared at the colour etching into his skin. Why did it not go faster? Honestly, he might have just died waiting.

"Oh, come on!"

He looked away for only a short moment, but when he looked back at his mark, dread overcame him and suddenly a strange hollowness spread through his young body.

There, written on the unscarred skin of his left underarm, were the words _I hate you_.

He wondered what kind of person he was that even his Soulmate would hate him.

Naruto, the scarred boy without parents, without friends, without anyone to share his love with.

The boy realized then that it was his destiny to be unloved and alone.

He accepted it.


	2. Waltzing in the darkness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for kudos and your comments! I really appreciate it! Them warnings at the end, u kno' ya gurl.

When the bell rings most students of his class casually walk out of the door. Naruto does not pay them any attention anymore, and they also do not look at the boy who seldom speaks to any of them. He has become invisible, not vying for attention.

So Naruto packs his backpack and slowly walks towards the Schoolyard to wait for Iruka to pick him up. The boy takes a seat on the bench next to a tree. The few leaves that are still there are of a dark yellow colour and it won't be long until they, too, fly off the tree. A strong wind makes Naruto scrunch his face up and hug himself. Maybe he should have just stayed inside the building, but no; the silence is deafening and he hates it.

After fifteen more minutes pass, Naruto takes an annoyed glance at his phone. _Man, Iruka sure takes his time,_ he thinks and sighs loudly.

Today is October the sixth.

He's glad that he has Iruka to spend this date with.

"Great job, guys!" a loud voice bellows and Naruto sharply turns his head to the group that is going to walk by him. They usually do not bother him anymore with stupid and childish remarks.

The school's energetic lacrosse team is a group of popular, strong boys. Naruto hasn't been in trouble for quite some time lately, especially since the douchebag Kabuto had graduated. _The whole team was quite okay now without him_ , he thought.

"Hey, Fireboy. Thinking about joining our team? Heard your shots are fire." Suigetsu laughs and Naruto sighs loudly. _Why today of all days_ , he wonders. _Way to prove me wrong_. Suigetsu is not necessarily a bad guy. Naruto knows that, objectively. But _today_ he really does not want to get messed with. At _all._

"So I can have an actual excuse to beat you up with a stick? Sounds good to me." He baits him, of course. Naruto is at least smart enough to let Suigetsu do the first move, though he would never stand a chance if the team would get involved as well.

But before Suigetsu steps forward, the team captain puts his hand on Suigetsu's shoulder.

"Bad timing, drop it." Sasuke Uchiha says without casting a glance at Naruto. Suigetsu makes a disgusted noise but either way, the group walks away.

Only after the boys have walked a distance, does Naruto realize what Sasuke has said.

 _Bad timing? How does he know?_ Something akin to shock makes him get up off the bench and stare at the retreating back of Sasuke Uchiha. He suddenly remembers a feeling he has not had in a very long time, a feeling that engulfs him like a warm blanket on a cold day.

There was someone who cared? Could it be?

 _Look at me._ Words he has not thought of for so long. Words he had screamed at his relatives and fellow students, words he cried when he did not want to be invisible.

_Look at me. I'm right here._

Sasuke stops suddenly and slowly turns his head. His dark eyes meet Naruto's own stare.

Then, the corners of his mouth twitch and Sasuke resumes walking.

And that's when the orphaned boy realizes that Sasuke is honestly even stranger than Naruto has ever thought, because honestly.

What was that all about?

\+ + +

"You should eat, Naruto." Iruka says while slurping his soup. "Or else it will get cold."

"Yes, sorry." the boy mumbles and continues to eat his favourite dish, although he is aware of the troubled look Iruka is giving him.

"It's very unusual for you to be this lost in thought. Even today. Did something happen at school?" he asks.

Naruto chews and doesn't immediately look at the man sitting next to him. There has been a lot on his mind today and he doesn't really know where to start.

"Why have you never married?" Now he turns to Iruka. This is a question that has been bothering him for a very long time now. He is a great guy, how come he has not found his Soulmate yet?

"There was a woman that I loved once," he begins and Naruto suddenly gets the feeling that this is not really a good way to start a story that is supposed to end well, "She did have a Soulmark and I knew that one day, maybe, she might meet her Soulmate, unlike me."

Naruto gulps. "You don't have a Soulmark, Iruka?" The man shakes his head.

There are many theories on why many people don't have a Soulmark anywhere on their body, though not one of them has been proven yet. This is a phenomenon that occurs occasionally and people without a Soulmark struggle with Love and Relationships, especially when they fall in love with someone who is marked.

Naruto suddenly feels very guilty for asking such a personal question, but nevertheless, Iruka continues.

"She reassured me that she would never leave me for her Soulmate and that she loved me with all her heart." Iruka sighs.

"So, as destiny wanted him and her to be together, they met when we decided to move in together. It was our neighbour." He chuckles humourlessly.

"Naruto, you should know that I'm over it. But it has made me very careful of who to trust. A Soulmark is no joking matter. I remember my Mother telling me once, that your souls are intertwined by the yarn of fate, or something as such. So do not worry about who she will be. You are a great young man, Naruto and she will be the one to see it."

The boy really looks at him then, the man who made his life better. He feels so much appreciation, he could burst with it. Instead he rubs away the tears and eats his cold noodles.

"Thanks, Iruka."

\+ + +

Later this night Naruto has difficulties falling asleep, though that is not unusual. It's the same thing every year on the anniversary of his parent's death. Iruka and him had visited their graves, prayed and left unlit candles at their tombstones.

On some days he forgets his sorrow but gets reminded immediately when he sees his bandaged arm and he feels immense shame.

Sometimes he wonders if he could just drown in his own guilt.

He misses his mother's smile, the way she said good morning to him, the way the wind blew  her bright red hair out of her face.  
He misses his father's grin, the way him and Naruto would play and mimic each other to tease his mom, the way he would lay his hand on Naruto's head to reassure him.

 _I hate you_. He is scared of his Soulmate. He is scared of being rejected by her, even though it is not common.

Occasionally, rejection between Soulmates still happens.

Naruto does not get any sleep this night.

\+ + +

 He absolutely doesn't know what this prickling sensation is from, but he can literally feel something at the back of his head.

This is the first time Naruto is aware of it and he has already asked himself if this has happened anytime before.

Curious by nature, Naruto takes a look around of his surroundings in class until he catches the lazy stare of Sasuke Uchiha, whose hand is positioned beneath his chin in a casual manner.

As if he has been watching him for some time.

And he keeps on _staring_.

"Naruto, is Sasuke more interesting to look at than the blackboard?" Anko-Sensei asks loudly and the boy turns sharply to look at her in embarrassment. She drops whatever she wanted to add, perhaps in pity, and turns her back to the class again to continue writing.

Naruto clenches his hands into fists and turns around again bravely.

Sasuke is still staring at him, completely unabashed.

Someone behind him whispers something and Naruto turns to Anko-Sensei.

A thrill of excitement passes through his body and he cannot hide the small smile creeping up his face.

_You are looking at me. I am here._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be aware of the following:  
> Naruto feels a little guilty for surviving, Suigetsu makes a rude remark towards Naru. 
> 
> <3


	3. As a reflection of light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small warnings at the end of the chapter. Thank you guys for your patience.  
>  I've got the rest of the chapters planned out. :)   
> Music I listened to while writing this chapter: "Violet Evergarden OST - Never coming back" 
> 
> Love y'all <3

It's a rather hot day and Naruto struggles with the long-sleeved shirt he is wearing to cover the worst of the burn scars.

He got rid of his vest after lunch, but pulling up the sleeves just won't do. He sighs softly and trudges across the yard, until he can hear bellowing and laughing from the sports ground.

Naruto had not realized that he had taken his time in the school library to work on an assignment he begrudgingly took to get a better mark in his history class.

He carefully looks over to where the lacrosse team just finished their training. The boys are all drenched in sweat.

Sasuke is there, too.

Naruto's eyes widen then, because Sasuke slowly takes his wet shirt off, revealing his muscular chest and abdomen, glistening in the sunlight. Strands of his black hair stick to his forehead and he bites his lip out of the blue.

Naruto feels as if he is watching a very forbidden scene, not meant for his eyes.

But he can't help it - he can't take his eyes off of him, his immaculate skin, his muscular body and those dark, deep eyes, watching him.

_Wait, what?_

His eyes widen as Sasuke catches him  _staring_.

Flustered Naruto turns away so fast he fears he might have almost broken his neck and he walks a little bit faster now, still feeling that he is being watched.

 

\+ + + 

The next day Naruto pretends as if nothing has happened the day before. That's something he is really good at.

When he sees Sasuke in the hallway, surrounded by a small crowd of his male and female friends, he can't help but feel a twinge of envy. Sasuke seems to attract people without even trying to.

"Sasuke-kun, you are  _so_  funny!" a girl Naruto does not know by name laughs at something he must have said, though Sasuke doesn't even pay her any attention.

"Ne, Sasuke, you will come to Rin's party, right? You are not busy, are you?" another girl says and Naruto, who is walking right behind them, can't help but listen.

"Why should I waste my time with the likes of you? Ridiculous." Sasuke replies harshly and the girl flinches slightly, but doesn't leaves his side.

Naruto stops walking for a moment and just bores holes into the back of Sasuke's head.  _How can you treat your friends like that?_

The boy doesn't understand at all. His wish has always been to be seen, to have friends, people he could always talk to. To show the world that he was not special because of his scars, but because of him being Naruto.

 _With the likes of you._ Does that mean Naruto is also not good enough?

The thought scares him.

Perhaps Sasuke had looked at him because he was disgusted?

This makes something in his heart twinge painfully. Naruto doesn't want Sasuke to be disgusted with him, though he is not sure why.

Naruto buries his hands in the pockets of his vest, suddenly feeling cold. Iruka had given him a pocket warmer with a cute bunny printed on it. _  
_"Oh, Naruto! Don't be embarrassed, I know you like cute animals, so when I saw this I immediately thought of you!"__ Iruka had said.

He squeezes it now thankfully, though wishing for a warm hand to hold instead.

He wonders if he should just try talking to people. Surely not everyone will reject him.

Later this day, he talks to Gaara from his history class.

Gaara is brooding and quiet, but he doesn't tell Naruto to shut up.

 

\+ + +

Naruto feels as if he has accomplished something great today. The assignment was good, Gaara and he were  _socializing_  and he felt overall  _great_.

As soon as Iruka would be home, Naruto would proudly tell him how he had the courage to talk to a student after a long time. Maybe Iruka would treat him to Ramen again? He can't hide the smile at the thought.

Naruto is one of the last people to leave the classroom and the hallway is mostly empty already. He can see a few boys from the lacrosse team further away, leaving already.

Sasuke is there, too.

The boy wonders then, if Sasuke knows how to carry himself? If he knows that he has something about him that makes people stop and stare. It's almost ...  _mesmerizing_ watching him move.

 _With the likes of you_. Naruto shakes his head to get rid of the words Sasuke had said a few hours earlier. Those words were not directed at him, but he still feels a painful tug when he thinks of them.

The temperature has dropped drastically and Naruto finally pulls the pocket warmer out of his vest to press on the little piece of metal within it.

He did not care about the footsteps right behind him, until a pale hand snatches the pocket warmer out of his hand.

Suigetsu completely caught him off guard and Naruto blinks as if not comprehending what has happened. Then, he almost sighs frustratingly.

"Oooh, Naruto! You a kindergartener or something?"  Suigetsu laughs harshly, while Naruto stares at him, flabbergasted.

Seriously, what is it with Suigetsu annoying him? This is very unusual.

"Give it back." Naruto only says, without a hint of threat in his voice. Surely Suigetsu must have some common sense, right?

"So childish, you disgust me." The sneer feels like a slap and Naruto looks at him. There is so much hatred in his eyes and Naruto just doesn't understand where it comes from. Do they have some kind of past? Has Naruto hurt him in any way?

"Give it back!" Naruto repeats louder, almost defensively, as if shielding himself from the cruelty in Suigetsu's eyes.

"Suigetsu!" a harsh voice calls and both him and Naruto glance at the person. Sasuke is glaring warningly at his friend, even though Naruto doesn't know why.

"Tch." A strange look passes Suigetsu's face and he throws the pocket warmer at Naruto, who catches it instinctively. The boy casts another glance at Suigetsu, but before he can move, the other boy pushes him forcefully into the lockers with a loud crash.

A lock presses painfully into his back and Naruto releases a surprised yelp.

Before he can even so much as fight, there is a flurry of movement in his line of sight and Sasuke tackles Suigetsu with a growl to the ground.

"I told you!" Sasuke roars and Naruto presses his back into the lockers. What is going on?

It all happens so fast, but suddenly Sasuke is holding Suigetsu by his collar, his fist colliding with his face with each word Sasuke growls.

"Don't. Touch.  _Him_."

Suigetsu doesn't resist and Naruto doesn't really care, because  _what the hell is going on_. Suddenly Sasuke stops, his fist still in mid-air. He is breathing raggedly and his brows are furrowed.

But he slowly lifts his head and his dark eyes  _watch_ Naruto.

His breath hitches in his throat.

Naruto's own eyes widen and he does the first thing his instinct tells him to: Leave. Leave  _fast._

He has never seen Sasuke lose control. Never  _ever._ It is unheard of.  _Is it because of me?_

A hopeful feeling echoes in the hollowness of his chest. What is this feeling? He is  _so confused!_

He spends the whole night wondering about Sasuke's eyes and the feeling he got from the other's gaze.

_Wild, protective._

Naruto feels as if a flower is blooming in his chest.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a short and non-graphic fight, Suigetsu is a nuisance.   
> <3


	4. I will touch you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well well, let's see what happens.
> 
> Warnings at the end <3

_"Run! Run! GO!"_

_Words almost forgotten are repeated. It hurts to hear his voice. It's been so long._

_Naruto screams and cries for his father to come, too._

_He can feel it. He knows this is the last time._

_He won't see his father again._

_Everything is red and broken and his eyes burn from the smoke and he can't stop crying. His mother hugs him closer to her body._

_He hears a loud rumble and suddenly his mother throws him out of the door with so much force that he breaks his hand when he lands outside._

_The ceiling collapses on her and he can see her trying to claw her way out, but the debris are too heavy and her scream echoes in the silence of the darkness that suddenly surrounds him._

_His parents are dead and it is his fault._

\+ + +

By the time Naruto has woken up from an unpleasant dream, Iruka has already left the house and the boy slowly gets ready for school. He doesn't eat anything and leaves the house calmly and thoughtful. Perhaps it was supposed to be one of _those_ days, when everything went wrong and he felt guilty for surviving a fire he had caused accidentally.

Naruto surpresses the images that surface at his thought and enters the noisy hallway, where students talk, walk and laugh. The noise helps him occupy his thoughts with different matters.

When he reaches his locker and opens the door, he unexpectedly finds some kind of card lying on his books. Confused Naruto takes the card and flips it. At the front is a picture of a cute comic-fox holding a rose in its paw.

It very much appears to be self-drawn and made. The boy doesn't know what to make of it yet, so he opens it gently.

There, in very neat handwriting, are the words:

_Happy Birthday, Naruto!_

_I'm glad that you are alive.  
And I'm sorry for scaring you, truly. _

For a short, terrible moment, he fears that someone will jump from behind and tell him that the card is a prank.

His heart is beating so fast. How could he forget? It's October the tenth, his birthday! Someone in his school got him a card and sneaked it into his locker!

Overjoyed the boy completely forgets to get his books out of the locker and closes it without a second thought.

Who could it be? A Secret Admirer? A teacher? He shudders.

He walks along the hallway, ignoring the other students and staring intently at the fox and the card.

Someone is _glad_ that Naruto is alive! The only thing he does not understand yet is the apology. Who scared him recently? Except for Suigetsu, because _honestly_. He does not seem to be the type to make his own birthday card for a person he was _disgusted_ from.

Absolutely nothing can wipe the smile from his face, because as soon as he looks up, Sasuke is standing in front of him, blocking the way and looking like he wanted to say something, but instead he looks at Naruto's smile and the card the boy is clutching to his chest and closes his mouth.

An awkward moment passes without them saying anything.

Even though Sasuke is always very well-kempt, today he seems to have outdone himself, as if for a special occasion.

A strange thought crosses Naruto's mind then. _What if it was him?_

Both Sasuke and Naruto open their mouths slightly. And then someone pushes Naruto with their backpack and since Naruto was too preoccupied holding the card, he gets completely caught off guard. So does Sasuke, unfortunately, as the blonde boy falls onto him and Sasuke only manages to hold onto Naruto's arms uselessly. They both tumble to the ground, faces closing in on each other.

Through very unfortunate circumstances, their lips brush.

A loud thud makes _everyone_ turn and see the position they are in.

Naruto immediately scrambles off Sasuke, his face heating in complete embarrassment.

Sasuke sits up and only blinks, as if in a stupor himself. His eyes are wide open and innocent and _curious_. Naruto's heart beats faster. _Sasuke._

His cheeks are reddened, Naruto notes with a twinge of pride. He has made the Uchiha boy blush!

"Oh Kami, _no!_ Sasuke is gay!" A girl screeches for all students to hear and Naruto watches how Sasukes face morphs into a cold, angry mask. Something about this statement has angered him in a way and Naruto is not sure how to feel about that.

It is then, that he spits venomously with a scrunched up face and a ferocious scowl:

" _Argh! I hate you!"_  Sasuke is bristling and his cheeks get even redder, aware of the crowd waiting for his reaction.

The first emotion Naruto comprehends is shock. The next is a mix of confusion and hurt so he replies with the only thing that comes to his mind:

"I hate you even more!"

It wasn't the comeback of the century, of course, but he was short on intelligent replies so this had to do.

All of a sudden Naruto feels the entire colour draining from his face. _Hold up._

The crowd around them is irrelevant now, he can only see Sasuke and his shocked gaze, the way he stares disbelieving into his deep eyes.

Vulnerable, human, _feeling_.

But it's too much, way too much and he doesn't know how to handle it. Panic makes his skin crawl and he needs to _hide_ or else everyone will witness his panic attack. His breathing shallows.

"Naru..." Sasuke says gently. His whole demeanour has changed, but Naruto does not stay to find out what Sasuke is about to say, because he bolts.

"Naruto!"

Could it be? Has he found his Soulmate? No. Or did he? He can't think straight. Surely, without a doubt, he _felt_ it. The moment Naruto had replied to Sasuke's terrible words, he knew that this was it.

But his Soulmate is a boy? A _boy?_  

Really, how high were the chances that this would happen to him? Having a same-sex Soulmate is such a rare occurence.

The problem is not Sasuke being a boy, but the whole _thing_ being a minority _,_ which, in turn, makes it special and he _hates_ being special, as this was what made him the outsider he is now.

He remembers the scowl Sasuke had on his face when he said that he hates him.

But why? Why does Sasuke hate him? Why does his _Soulmate_ hate him?

The pain resurfaces again and his mark burns so badly it makes him stop to catch his breath.

"Naruto!" The pain of his mark stops immediately and he turns to Sasuke, who is breathing raggedly. He is only wearing his white button-up shirt and no jacket.

His Soulmate must be cold for sure!

The thought came so naturally and suddenly to him he almost runs away again, overwhelmed with an emotion he has never felt before. Naruto is shaking all over.

"Don't _go!_ " Sasuke pleads brokenly and the sound makes Naruto's heart stop.

" _Please don't leave me. Don't hate me._ "

 _Go away, you're disgusting. I hate you. Everything is your fault. Leave, you're a nuisance!_ Words he has heard his entire life.

But this boy right here is telling him to stay.

Their eyes meet.

Naruto is not sure if there are unshed tears in Sasuke's eyes or if his nose is red because of the cold.

And his own body is doing everything by itself then, because he takes two steps back to the other boy until they are standing right in front of each other. Unsure of what to do, Naruto only blinks his tears away.

"I'm right here." he says gently.

Sasuke's face crumbles and the boy lurches forward to embrace Naruto so firmly they both tumble into the grass behind Naruto.

A sob escapes Sasuke's throat and Naruto still can't stop his own tears.  

"Please don't hate me! Please don't..." he feels Sasuke plead against his neck and his own insecurities and fear leave his heart and soul. He never thought about the words he might tell his Soulmate or if he would hurt them.

It just never crossed his mind.

For a second he thinks of what Sasuke must have felt like, reading the words and feeling exactly as Naruto had felt all those years:

Fearing their Soulmate, feeling alone and hated.

"I won't ever and I _have_ never..." Naruto promises and his voice breaks on the last word. Without hesitating anymore he slings his arms around Sasuke and presses him even closer to his body.

They are shaking, sobbing, crying.

And Naruto feels so relieved, as if a door has been opened and all the fear just leaves his body.

Sasukes body is warm und snugly pressed against him and even though they are crying their eyes out, Naruto has never been happier in his entire life.

His destined Soulmate is lying in his arms and he does not hate him.

But he can't help but wonder: What exactly made him say that he hates Naruto in the first place?

 

\+ + +

They don't let go of each other for a very long time. Even though Naruto has never really had so much body contact with another person, it feels completely natural to him, like he was meant to do so.

Like he was meant to _touch_ Sasuke.

His cheeks redden at the shameless thought and Naruto gently looses his embrace since he really wants to see his Soulmate's face.

Sasuke seems to get his idea and reluctantly lets go of his body, albeit hesitantly.

As if he does not want to let go.

Naruto's heart flutters in his ribcage when he thinks such thoughts.

Sasuke's eyes are puffy and red and his long, dark lashes stick together from his tears. His face does not portray any hurt though and Naruto sighs gently. His Soulmate seems to catch himself again and asks dryly:

"So, was that our first date?"

Naruto snorts and they both start laughing in each other's arms.

A new chapter has begun.

And Naruto feels freaking _invincible_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru has a nightmare of his parents dying, survivor's guilt is mentioned, implied though "not confirmed" homophobia.  
> <3

**Author's Note:**

> Please be aware of the following:
> 
> Nightmares are a thing in this story, Naruto's parents died in a fire, Naruto has scars which he is insecure about. 
> 
> <3


End file.
